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Topic:   Rivers- between, not through, map squares Format for Better Printing
FreeChina
Warlord
in training
Aug 1999
posted December 07, 2000 18:03   Click Here to See the Profile for FreeChinaClick Here to Email FreeChina  send a private message to FreeChina Visit FreeChina's Homepage!
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The concept of a river running through a square completely contradicts the idea of rivers as natural boundaries.
In most cases, rivers divide nations. It's unrealistic that one nation controls a river and both banks, but one side is just a narrow strip of very good land.
The idea of a river between tiles allows both bordering tiles to have the inherent benefits. Defensive bonus would be for combat across rivers.
Should be a movement penalty as well.
Psion
Settler
Maryland, USA
Jun 99
posted December 07, 2000 18:28   Click Here to See the Profile for PsionClick Here to Email Psion  send a private message to Psion
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This idea deserves some thought. I think I like it.
OreoFuchi
Settler
New York, NY
Dec 2000
posted December 07, 2000 18:49   Click Here to See the Profile for OreoFuchiClick Here to Email OreoFuchi  send a private message to OreoFuchi
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That's one of the best ideas I've heard, especially if borders are in Civ3.
jdlessl
Chieftain
Atlanta, GA, USA
Mar 2000
posted December 07, 2000 18:51   Click Here to See the Profile for jdlessl   send a private message to jdlessl
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Good idea. Right up there with having directions for the flow of those rivers.

How would you do food production bonuses then? Just give it to the squares on both sides of the river?

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Jared Lessl

Big Crunch
Prince
Soon to be known by a Symbol...
Sep 2000
posted December 07, 2000 19:16   Click Here to See the Profile for Big Crunch   send a private message to Big Crunch
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How would you incorporate the movement bonus that rivers give?

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Pax Vobis.

Ribannah
Warlord
Castle Gobs, Enroth
Aug 2000
posted December 07, 2000 19:24   Click Here to See the Profile for RibannahClick Here to Email Ribannah  send a private message to Ribannah Visit Ribannah's Homepage!
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quote:

Originally posted by FreeChina on 12-07-2000 06:03 PM
In most cases, rivers divide nations.

Ehmm, no, this is not true, nor is it historically logical. Once a tribe discovers a river, they will naturally settle on both sides of it.

About the only time that a river ends up as a border happens after a war in which neither side was powerful enough to cross.

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If you have no feet, don't walk on fire

OreoFuchi
Settler
New York, NY
Dec 2000
posted December 07, 2000 19:30   Click Here to See the Profile for OreoFuchiClick Here to Email OreoFuchi  send a private message to OreoFuchi
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quote:

Originally posted by Big Crunch on 12-07-2000 07:16 PM
How would you incorporate the movement bonus that rivers give?


I think food and transport bonuses go to the squares on both sides.

FreeChina
Warlord
in training
Aug 1999
posted December 07, 2000 22:17   Click Here to See the Profile for FreeChinaClick Here to Email FreeChina  send a private message to FreeChina Visit FreeChina's Homepage!
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In response to the idea of one tribe taking the whole river, that's what any civ with any sense would attempt to do anyway, planting settlements on both banks up and down stream. However, if another rival were to get to the river at about the same time they would have to share.

Food, trade, and movement benefits apply to both banks. Rivers are that important in history.

Now this idea might be just for major rivers. Lesser tributaries could still stay within a tile.

Evil Capitalist
King
The man with the Golden Gnu.
Jul 2000
posted December 08, 2000 03:26   Click Here to See the Profile for Evil CapitalistClick Here to Email Evil Capitalist  send a private message to Evil CapitalistSend a Message to UIN: 82420241
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That has to be one of the most obvious, briulliant ideas I've heard in a long time. Why didn't any of us think of that?

People- you aren't being productive.

Diablo, Bro. of Mephisto
Chieftain
Salt Lake City, USA
Oct 2000
posted December 08, 2000 15:29   Click Here to See the Profile for Diablo, Bro. of MephistoClick Here to Email Diablo, Bro. of Mephisto  send a private message to Diablo, Bro. of Mephisto
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Excuse me???? I've posted literally 3 different threads on this, suggesting this very topic, do some research.

I agree with this totally.

Tical_2000
Chieftain

Oct 2000
posted December 08, 2000 16:24   Click Here to See the Profile for Tical_2000   send a private message to Tical_2000
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quote:

Originally posted by Big Crunch on 12-07-2000 07:16 PM
How would you incorporate the movement bonus that rivers give?


I say scrap the entire river-movement bonus thing. Rivers should impede the movement of ground based forces, not improve it. Anyways, what the hell happens with that? Do the troops construct canoes from nearby trees and paddle three squares up the rive in one turn??? I never truly understood that concept in Civ.

Tical_2000
Chieftain

Oct 2000
posted December 08, 2000 16:26   Click Here to See the Profile for Tical_2000   send a private message to Tical_2000
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quote:

Originally posted by Tical_2000 on 12-08-2000 04:24 PM
I say scrap the entire river-movement bonus thing. Rivers should impede the movement of ground based forces, not improve it. Anyways, what the hell happens with that? Do the troops construct canoes from nearby trees and paddle three squares up the rive in one turn??? And how do regiments of tanks so easily swim up the river?! I never truly understood that concept in Civ.


Tical_2000
Chieftain

Oct 2000
posted December 08, 2000 16:27   Click Here to See the Profile for Tical_2000   send a private message to Tical_2000
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what the? -- oops.

Big Crunch
Prince
Soon to be known by a Symbol...
Sep 2000
posted December 08, 2000 16:35   Click Here to See the Profile for Big Crunch   send a private message to Big Crunch
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A lot of exploration was done via rivers. Especially in jungle, and forested areas as it was easier and quicker to do so. You didn't even have to use boats just travelling along the banks and the flood plains where the ground was flatter is enough of a bonus. The obvious presence of water reduced time looking for water to drink.
[This message has been edited by Big Crunch (edited December 08, 2000).]
jdlessl
Chieftain
Atlanta, GA, USA
Mar 2000
posted December 09, 2000 01:10   Click Here to See the Profile for jdlessl   send a private message to jdlessl
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So it marginally improves travel time going upstram and greatly improves it going downstream? Ok.

Going across them without a bridge should certainly impede progress, but not by much. It's not going to take a regiment a year (or more!) to build a temporary bridge, after all. Maybe if the military engineers are implemented, one of their their jobs would be to build a one or two turn bridge that the other units can use to cross and not lose movement points. I imagine that's already been suggested somewhere.

--
Jared Lessl

Gilgalad5
Settler

Sep 2000
posted December 10, 2000 23:00   Click Here to See the Profile for Gilgalad5Click Here to Email Gilgalad5  send a private message to Gilgalad5
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Ah, the age-old question in strategy-game design...

I really think it's a Catch-22; if you go for rivers as squares, you can represent the economic and demographic boons of fertility in river valleys--and it generally adds realism in the pre-industrial age, since rivers were the most efficient mode of bulk transportation.

On the other hand, their major military importance is forgotten. You can't even attempt to replicate the imperial Roman technique of fortifying the entire length of the Rhine and Danube. I have noticed this problem in Civ2 when trying to seal off hostile "borders" with fortresses---you can't build a real "active defense."

I realize there are ways to get around this, but my philosophy is, why make the terrain and other surface features more complex when diplomacy and other meta-elements could be improved?

If I had to make the choice, I would stick with the current rivers-as-squares.

rremus
Warlord

Jan 2000
posted December 11, 2000 03:03   Click Here to See the Profile for rremusClick Here to Email rremus  send a private message to rremusSend a Message to UIN: 31345285 Visit rremus's Homepage!
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How about the extra food/shields you get from rivers now? This is a realistic feature, and how will it be implemented? You could make the squares on both river sides have extra resources, but, at the current map scale, it could make rivers too powerful resources.
I also think there should be a distinction between a small river that only offers extra food/shields to a square and does not affect unit moving speed. These rivers could well cross map squares. Big rivers should offer extra food/shields to squares on its both sides and should flow only between squares. Olso, these should be difficult to cross (1/3 movement speed) but can improve unit speed along them. Building roads across small rivers should be available as soon as Road Building is available, but building roads across big rivers should be available ony with Bridge Building.
Grumbold
Chieftain
London, UK
Mar 2000
posted December 11, 2000 12:25   Click Here to See the Profile for Grumbold   send a private message to Grumbold
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On the current scale (and any size we are likely to get next time) anything except the largest of rivers is already invisible and discounted. That being so, I personally would prefer the rivers-as-borders approach. Since the majority of Civ country-country diplomacy is of the 'proactive' kind, building a city or fort with a defensive bonus from several approach angles could be very advantageous.
Stuff2
Warlord

Sep 1999
posted December 12, 2000 06:20   Click Here to See the Profile for Stuff2   send a private message to Stuff2
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I like this idea.
Deathwalker
Warlord
Great Britain
Mar 2000
posted December 13, 2000 04:57   Click Here to See the Profile for DeathwalkerClick Here to Email Deathwalker  send a private message to Deathwalker
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I like it, but it needs more thought.

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I have walked since the dawn of time and were ever I walk, death is sure to follow

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